Allegations of Misconduct

Introduction
The International Journal of Data Science (IJoDS) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record and takes all allegations of misconduct seriously. This policy outlines the procedures for addressing allegations of research and publication misconduct.

Description
Research and publication misconduct includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, citation manipulation, data fabrication or falsification, and breaches of research ethics. IJoDS will investigate allegations of misconduct at any stage of the publication process (pre-publication or post-publication) and regardless of how they are brought to the journal's attention, including those from whistleblowers.

The Policy
IJoDS will follow a fair, consistent, and confidential process to investigate allegations of misconduct.

  • Seriousness of Allegations: All allegations of misconduct, whether pre-publication or post-publication, will be treated with utmost seriousness and investigated thoroughly.
  • Whistleblowers: IJoDS has policies in place to handle allegations from whistleblowers, ensuring their concerns are addressed appropriately and confidentially where possible.
  • Confidentiality: Investigations will be conducted confidentially to protect the rights of all involved parties.
  • Objectivity and Fairness: Investigations will be conducted objectively and fairly, providing an opportunity for the accused to respond to the allegations.
  • Timeliness: IJoDS will strive to resolve allegations in a timely manner.
  • Outcomes: Depending on the findings of the investigation, IJoDS may take actions such as rejecting a manuscript, publishing a correction or erratum, issuing an expression of concern, or retracting a publication. In cases of severe misconduct, IJoDS may also inform the authors' institution(s) or other relevant bodies.

Implementation of the Policy

  • Reporting Allegations: Allegations of misconduct should be reported to the Editor-in-Chief via the official journal email address provided on the IJoDS website (https://ijods.org/).
  • Initial Assessment: The Editor-in-Chief will conduct an initial assessment of the allegation to determine if it warrants a full investigation.
  • Investigation Process:
    • If a full investigation is warranted, the Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the editorial board and potentially the publisher (Indonesian Society for Knowledge and Human Development (INSIGHT)), will lead the investigation.
    • IJoDS will follow established guidelines for handling specific types of misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication).
    • Evidence will be gathered from all relevant sources. The accused party will be informed of the allegation and given a chance to respond.
  • Communication: IJoDS will communicate the outcome of the investigation to the relevant parties.
  • Corrections to the Record: If misconduct is confirmed in a published article, IJoDS will take steps to correct the scholarly record promptly, such as issuing a retraction or correction.
  • Record Keeping: Detailed records of all allegations and investigations will be maintained securely.
  • Training: Journal staff and editors receive guidance on how to identify and handle potential misconduct.